WIU parent wants answers after police use pepper spray

MACOMB— It was meant to be a party celebrating the upcoming end of the school year but Saturday the annual Wheeler street block party near Western Illinois University got out of hand. Now, the mother of a Western student who was at that party wants answers.

Amateur video taken by students shows them tearing down and burning a stop sign as the block party came to an end. That fire is what Macomb police say started the entire riot. Shortly after the fire began swat teams arrived.

“It was like a military response to these kids, I don’t know how anyone can watch those tapes and think that’s okay,” said Annie Boyd.

But what those videos also show appears to be innocent students pepper sprayed and that has WIU parent Annie Boyd speaking out.

“As a parent I was more afraid for my daughter from the police, I hate to say, than from the partiers,” Annie said.